(Image source from: Meet the man who claims to be Lord Hanuman})

A 35-year-old man from India's Alipurduar is grabbing headlines and why?

Well, the man, a sel-professed reincarnation of Lord Hanuman, apparently has a 14.5 inch long tail growing out of his back. That explains it all, doesn't it?

Locals in the Alipurduar have hailed Chandre Oraon as a reincarnation of the Hindu monkey deity Hanuman. They also believe that his ability to climb trees effortlessly only testify his divine connections.

Devotees travel hundreds of miles to queue up outside his house and seek blessings by touching his tail.

"I am Hanuman. People have a lot of respect for me because of my tail. I don’t mind the tail at all. It is a gift by God," he said.

People also believe that he has healing powers.

 

Monika Lakda, who had travelled overnight to see Chandre at his small makeshift shrine, said: “My brother’s son was once very unwell and had fever. We gave him medicine but it did not work. So we came to Chandre to seek his blessings. The baby recovered soon after that.We believe that Chandre is an incarnation of Hanuman. They say he was born on the Holy Hanuman day. So we have faith in him."

Doctors however, deem this differently. They link it to a rare congenital defect, and have also offered to remove it — something which Chandre has vehemently resisted.

He explains: “Once my mother chopped of my tail when I was young. Soon after, I got a high fever and I was very sick. My mother told me that I almost died.After that, everyone said I must keep the tail. My family said they felt me getting sick was a sign that my tail was divine."

Chandre's uncle, Baldev Ram, added: "With age, his tail has also been growing longer. So, we realized very early that he has the blessings of God."

AW: Suchorita Choudhury